Pandemic-Related Stress Seriously Messed With People’s Periods, Study Finds

At this point in the global COVID-19pandemic, it is no secret that living through a public health crisis has taken a toll on our stress levels. But this pandemic-induced stress might be affecting more than just our mental health.

A new study published in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology has established a link between pandemic-related stress and changes to people’s periods. For the study, researchers analyzed self-reported data from 354 cisgender women ages 18–45. Participants were surveyed in May 2021 about their pandemic stress levels and any irregularities in their menstrual cycle since March 2020, when COVID-19 descended upon the United States.

Researchers’ findings were illuminating: More than half of respondents said they experienced “at least one” irregularity in either the length of their cycle, spotting, menstrual flow, or duration of their period. Younger women and women with existing mental health issues were more likely to exhibit pandemic stress and cycle changes. Across the board, though, high pandemic stress was “significantly associated” with longer and shorter periods.

Lead author Martina Anto-Ocrah, an assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, told The Washington Post she found the results “alarming.” After all, irregular menstruation is linked to a wide range of health concerns, from fertility problems to mental health issues.

“This really extends beyond menstruation, it’s about women’s wellbeing,” she explained.

This isn’t the first report to suggest changes to people’s periods as a result of the pandemic. An online survey of 210 cisgender women published in January of this year found a similar link between pandemic stress and irregular periods. And in September, a study funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) confirmed that the COVID-19 vaccine caused small, temporary menstrual irregularities for many people.

It’s worth noting that people who menstruate have been sharing anecdotal reports of changes to their periods since the pandemic — and rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine — began. These studies are just validating concerns many of us have experienced firsthand.

“Women are constantly being told, ‘This is in your head,'” Anto-Ocrah told The Post. “Until we get some data to show that what is in women’s heads is actually the truth, the medical society kind of turns us away and doesn’t believe it.”

You heard it here first, folks: Irregular periods are no joke. If you’re concerned about changes to your menstrual cycle amid the COVID-19 pandemic, consider tracking your periods and talking to a healthcare provider. You shouldn’t have to come armed with medical research to back up your lived experience, but in the event that you do run up against medical misogyny, these studies might help.

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